Portulaca plant named &#39;LAZPRT1612&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘LAZPRT1612’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to creeping growth habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; red purple and yellow-colored flowers; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Portulaca umbraticola Kunth.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAZPRT 1612’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca umbraticola Kunth, commonly known as Wingpod Purslane, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LAZPRT1612’.

The new Portulaca plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely branching Portulaca plants with numerous unique and attractive flowers.

The new Portulaca plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Portulaca umbraticola Kunth identified as code number 09/123-1, not patented. The new Portulaca plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy during the spring of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Portulaca plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy since the spring of 2014, has shown that the unique features of this new Portulaca plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Portulaca have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LAZPRT1612’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LAZPRT1612’ as a new and distinct Portulaca plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to creeping growth habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple and yellow-colored flowers.     -   6. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the parent selection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in flower color as plants of the parent selection have a less intense (lower contrast) flower color pattern that is unstable. In addition, plants of the new Portulaca are more freely branching and have larger flowers than plants of the parent selection.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of Portulaca oleracea ‘Kakegawa CY2’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,149. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of ‘Kakegawa CY2’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca are more compact than plants of         ‘Kakegawa CY2’.     -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca are more creeping than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Kakegawa CY2’.     -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Kakegawa CY2’.     -   4. Plants of the new Portulaca and ‘Kakegawa CY2’ differ in         petal color as plants of ‘Kakegawa CY2’ have yellow-colored         petals with purple-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Portulaca can also be compared to plants of Portulaca oleracea ‘Duet Red on Yellow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of ‘Duet Red on Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca are more compact than plants of         ‘Duet Red on Yellow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca are more creeping than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Duet Red on Yellow’.     -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Duet Red on Yellow’.     -   4. Flower color pattern of plants of the new Portulaca is more         stable than flower color pattern of ‘Duet Red on Yellow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Portulaca plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Portulaca plant.

The photograph is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LAZPRT1612’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 13-cm containers during the spring and summer in an outdoor nursery in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy and under cultural practices typical of commercial Portulaca production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 13.8° C. to 28.6° C. and light levels ranged from 60 to 70 klux. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca umbraticola Kunth ‘LAZPRT1612’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary     selection of Portulaca umbraticola Kunth identified as code number     09/123-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days             at temperatures about 15° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale creamy white             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Spreading to creeping plant habit;             vigorous growth habit; relatively rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches developing at every node; pinching is not required.         -   Overall plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm to 50 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 mm to 20 mm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; succulent.         -   Color.—Close to 148A underlain with close to 185B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 1.6 cm to 2.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 mm to 13 mm.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Initially slightly acute becoming more rounded with             development.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; when exposed             to full sunlight, margins become closer to 185B in color;             venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm             to 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; succulent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers             clustered in terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with             potentially about 15 to 30 flowers developing per             inflorescence; flowers face mostly upright; flowers sessile.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             to eight weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower             recurrently from mid-spring to mid-autumn in Italy.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three days on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to             5 mm. Shape: Ovoid to lanceolate. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single             whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Emarginate to cordate. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 21A and close to 45B and 74A; after             anthesis, colors become closer to between 59A and 71A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 17B and             close to 45C and 74A; after anthesis, colors become closer             to between 59A and 71A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Two, opposite. Length:             About 1 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery. Color, upper surface: Close to 147C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 50             to 60. Filament length: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Anther shape:             Elliptic. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to             25B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 23A.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1 cm. Style length: About 1 cm.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Texture:             Succulent to leathery.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About ten. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Color: Greyish black. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Portulaca have been observed     to have excellent garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,     drought, heat and low temperatures about 10° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Portulaca have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Portulaca plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Portulaca plant named ‘LAZPRT1612’ as illustrated and described. 